Body 2 Mind

Day 1 is dedicated to my own anxiety story and to an introduction to a specific way of breathing as a means to soothe anxiety. Lateral breathing combines conscious breathing with an element of body awareness, so as to redirect the focus away from anxiety and activate the parasympathetic part of the autonomous nervous system.

Day 2 builds on the exercise introduced on Day 1 as it adds other elements to conscious breathing. Extending the exhalation by a third relative to the inhalation not only gives another focus to the anxious mind. It also, again, strongly activates the calming part of the autonomous nervous system. Vibrations in the head and chest area such as those produced by humming or breathing against slightly closed lips enhance this effect further.

Day 3 introduces an exercise that gives anxiety a body of its own. The physical sensation of anxiety is given shape, texture, colour, smell, taste and any other quality you can think of. Instead of a vague sensation, anxiety becomes something to perceive clearly. This enables you to influence the qualities of your anxiety – make it a little smaller, paler, and less intense. It is an exercise that helps to make anxiety literally manageable.

Day 4 again builds on the exercise of Day 3. Again, you'll imagine your own anxiety with all its qualities. This helps to experience oneself as separate from anxiety and to find a modicum of compassion for one’s own feelings and sensations of anxiety. As a second step anxiety is invited to make itself comfortable, have a cup of tea or coffee and be given time to deliver its message.

Day 5 is dedicated to one of the most effective body awareness exercises when it comes to soothing the experience of anxiety – the Body Scan. In a roughly 10-minute exercise, the consciousness visits every part of the body with mindfulness, acceptance and gratitude. The Body Scan is a hugely powerful exercises that in my experience has proven as effective as synthetic anti-anxiety medication.

Day 6 introduces the basics of Polyvagal Theory. It guides you through an exercise that helps you experience the three states of autonomous regulation – sympathetic, dorsal vagal and ventral vagal. By accessing three different, personal memories you will learn where in your own body the three regulatory states are to be felt and how they feel.

Day 7 elaborates on Day 6, in that you are led through an exercise that intensifies the physical experience of ventral vagal regulation. You'll create your own landscape of safety and connectedness and take away anchors to be used in everyday life when threatened to tip over into sympathetic flight and fight or get caught in a dorsal vagal freeze.

Body 2 Mind includes an introduction to a few basic principles of Pilates Bodywork. Having roots in Yoga and other energetic bodywork traditions, Pilates is a powerful tool for dealing with anxiety. Its inclusion of breathwork and its focus on stabilizing the center and, thus, the self, help re-regulate an anxious body and mind.

On day 9 you will be led through a standing Pilates exercise. The focus is on alignment and the connection between sensation and emotion. The objective is to re-balance the body and thus create an experience of agency in the face of anxiety.

Day 10 gives a summary of all the exercises. Also, it mentions a lot of other resources such as other teachers on Insight Timer and elsewhere who offer tools and teachings on how to live with anxiety.